Cops get hold of chopper crash recording by NRIs
Saharanpur, April 1
The whole scene of the chopper crash in which two Haryana ministers, Surender Singh and O.P. Jindal, were killed on Thursday afternoon was video-recorded by few non-resident Indians, relatives of Nirmal Singh, in whose fields the chopper had crashed.

Who will carry forward Bansi Lal’s legacy?
Chandigarh, April 1
Haryana Agriculture Minister Surender Singh’s death in a helicopter crash yesterday has led to questions about who will carry forward his father Bansi Lal’s political legacy.

Pilot cremated with full state honours
Sagga (Karnal), April 1
The pilot Col T.S. Chauhan (retd) who was killed in a chopper crash near Saharanpur yesterday, was cremated with full state honours amidst touching scenes at his native village here in district Karnal,
today.

Haryana schedule for entrance tests
Chandigarh, April 1
The Haryana Technical Education Department will hold entrance test-2005 for admission to two and three-year diploma courses in government, government- aided and self-financing polytechnics in the State on May 21 and 29.

3 cops suspended
Gurgaon, April 1
The district police authorities have suspended three men on grounds of
misconduct and dereliction of duty.

Youth thrown out of running train
Sonepat, April 1
A 20-year-old youth, Kumpo, was allegedly thrown out of the running train by three youths near Bodhwal Majri railway station, about 30 km from here, last evening.

25 injured in pre-poll clashes
Panipat, April 1
At least 25 persons, including six women were injured in pre-poll violence in Bhadar and Chichrana villages of Panipat district yesterday. The polling for panchayat elections in the two villages is scheduled to be held on April 3.

Saharanpur, April 1
The whole scene of the chopper crash in which two Haryana ministers, Surender Singh and O.P. Jindal, were killed on Thursday afternoon was video-recorded by few non-resident Indians, relatives of Nirmal Singh, in whose fields the chopper had crashed.

The video film, which could prove a vital clue for the investigating agencies to determine how the chopper fell, has been seized by Mr S.A. Rizvi, Senior Superintendent of Police, Saharanpur district.

Mr Rizvi said the police had seized the video film last evening. “The video film is in my possession,” he said.

While recounting the contents of the video film he said the chopper fell from a very low height. In fact, the chopper first landed safely but then jumped and subsequently fell on its left side, leading to casualties,” he confirmed.

He said the video film could provide vital information regarding investigations into the chopper crash. The relatives of Nirmal Singh, who had come from the UK recently, had recorded the video film, said the SSP.

The preliminary investigation made with the help of the video film have confirmed the pilot saved lives of local residents of Berkhera Dera as the chopper had nosedived right above the residential settlement before it was taken towards the fields where it crashed while having an emergency landing.

Anyhow, the pilot Captain T.S. Chauhan, managed to regain height and bring the chopper towards the fields where it landed safely but jumped and fell down on its left side, said the SSP.

Meanwhile, the team of experts from the State Forensic Laboratory of Uttar Pradesh, the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation, New Delhi, and the insurance company arrived on the spot at Berkheri Dera and inquired about the incident.

Mr Rizvi said, “Since the investigation has been handed over to the expert agencies the role of the civil police authorities has minimised.” “However, the district police of Saharanpur would cooperate with all investigating agencies by providing them all vital information, including the video, so that the exact reason of the crash can be determined.”

Chandigarh, April 1
Haryana Agriculture Minister Surender Singh’s death in a helicopter crash yesterday has led to questions about who will carry forward his father Bansi Lal’s political legacy.

Surender Singh was younger of the two sons of Bansi Lal but it was he who was his father’s chosen political successor. The elder son Ranbir Singh Mahendra, now president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and also an MLA of the ruling Congress from Mundhal Khurd constituency of Bhiwani (native district of the Bansi Lal family), has a history of having differences with Bansi Lal.

In the Lok Sabha elections in 1998, Surender Singh and Ranbir Singh Mahendra had both jumped into the fray from Bhiwani constituency as candidates of rival parties. With Bansi Lal backing Surender, the latter romped to victory in the elections. In the Assembly elections in 2000 also, when Ranbir Singh tried his luck from Mundhal Khurd, his adversaries included a candidate from the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) headed by Bansi Lal.

It was only on the eve of the 2005 elections that the BCCI chief patched up with his father and the latter even went to Mundhal to canvass for his son. Reunion of father and son, however, did not create any doubt about Surender Singh’s pre-eminence as Bansi Lal’s political successor.

The HVP had merged with the Congress before this year’s Assembly elections and when Surender Singh became the Agriculture Minister, it was attributed as much to his administrative experience as to his being the favourite son of Bansi Lal. Bansi Lal had already retired from politics and it was expected of Surender Singh to gradually become an important Congress leader and step in his father’s shoes.

But the expectation has been dashed by the cruel crash which snatched the life of Surender Singh who was flying to Delhi in a chopper owned by Power Minister, O.P. Jindal, who too died in the accident.

Ranbir Singh Mahendra, having got back to his father’s favour, appears to be the natural choice to carry forward his father’s political legacy. After Surender Singh’s death, he escorted his ailing father everywhere. Surender Singh does not have a son and it was Ranbir Singh Mahendra’s son who lighted the pyre of Surender Singh.

It is, however, still unclear whether Ranbir Singh Mahendra will succeed his younger brother. There are, in fact, a number of factors which have cast doubts on this pattern of succession. First, Ranbir Singh remained estranged from his father for a long and this had left a deep impression on Bansi Lal’s followers.

Secondly, Surender Singh’s widow Kiran Chaudhary, who was Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, is a politician in her own right. It is widely speculated that she may be the Congress candidate from Tosham, the constituency of her husband, where a byelection will now take place as a result of Surender Singh’s death. Kiran Chaudhary had earlier contested unsuccessfully for a Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana and even at that time, her candidature had generated a lot of interest in political circles.

Not a small number of people at Bhiwani, though, associate Kiran Chaudhary with Delhi. They say they will rather like Surender Singh’s daughter Shruti to contest from Tosham and become the torch-bearer of Bansi Lal’s legacy.

It will be upto Bansi Lal to decide who shall be his political successor. For the veteran politician also, it will be a difficult decision to take.

Sagga (Karnal), April 1
The pilot Col T.S. Chauhan (retd) who was killed in a chopper crash near Saharanpur yesterday, was cremated with full state honours amidst touching scenes at his native village here in district Karnal,
today. He was killed along with Power Minister OP Jindal and Agriculture Minister Surender Singh when their helicopter crashed on their way to Delhi from Chandigarh.

The body of the pilot reached his native Sagga village late last night. From Saharanpur the body was first taken to Noida last night from where his wife and sons brought the body here. The body of the pilot was taken to the cremation ground draped in tricolur with a large number of persons and family members accompanying the funeral procession.

The pilot was given a tearful adieu by his sons Tejesh, Tanveer, wife Anju, mother Chahati Devi, senior civil and police officers and a large number of people of the village and adjoining areas.

The Deputy Commissioner of Karnal, Mr Shyamal Mishra, and Superintendent of Police, Ms Bharti Arora, laid a wreath on the body of Chauhan on behalf of the state government and the district administration. The MLA from Nilokheri, Mr Jai Singh Rana, laid a wreath on behalf of the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

While talking to The Tribune, Mr Tajesh Chauhan, the elder son of the deceased pilot said his father had a telephonic talk with his mother on Thursday morning that he was coming back home at Noida in the evening.

Chandigarh, April 1
The Haryana Cabinet will meet under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, here tomorrow.
It is learnt that the Cabinet will pay condolences to Mr O.P. Jindal, Power Minister; Mr Surender Singh, Agriculture Minister; and Col T.S. Chauhan, the pilot of the ill-fated helicopter, which crashed near Saharanpur yesterday, killing all the three.

Chandigarh, April 1
The Haryana Technical Education Department will hold entrance test-2005 for admission to two and three-year diploma courses in government, government- aided and self-financing polytechnics in the State on May 21 and 29. The entrance test for pharmacy and management courses will be held on May 21 whereas the entrance test for the remaining courses will be on May 29.

While stating this here today, an official spokesman said the candidates desirous of getting admission to the pharmacy course should have passed 10+2 with physics, chemistry, maths or biology. In case of hotel management, catering and nutrition, industrial and personal management courses, the qualification would be 10+2 pass with English as a compulsory subject, whereas qualification for all other diploma courses including library and information science, office management and computer application, fashion technology, fashion design and applied art and craft is matriculation or equivalent with English, mathematics and science as complusory subjects.

He said those candidates who had appeared in the qualifying examination would also be eligible to appear in the entrance test. However, such candidates would be eligible for admission provided they pass the qualifying examination on or before the start of counselling.

He said the admission brochure could be obtained from all polytechnics in the State and the Directorate of Technical Education on cash payment of Rs.500. The last date for the submission of the application forms would be April 21 for all courses.

Gurgaon, April 1
The district police authorities have suspended three men on grounds of misconduct and dereliction of duty.

The disciplinary action is seen as a follow-up to Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s stern warning about taking punitive action against personnel failing to maintain law and order in the state.

The new government has already made it known that its focus is on maintaining law and order. In fact, the Chief Minister, at his first meeting with SPs and DCs, had cautioned them about resorting to punitive action if they did not show results on the law and order front in three months’ time.

Those suspended include Inspector Jaswant Malhotra and ASI Jaswant Singh.

The ASI and a constable faced action for taking into custody a youth and subjecting him to third degree treatment. The youth was arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a nine year old boy, Montee, last year. Also, the youth was placed under arrest in an improper manner. The inspector was alleged to have been guilty of dereliction of duty last night.

The action against the ASI and the constable has brought the focus back to the sensational kidnapping and murder of Montee. He was kidnapped and murdered after five days. Montee’s parents stay here.

On March 27, the two personnel rounded up Deepak, a cousin of Montee, in connection with the case. After failing to trace Deepak, his father lodged a report with various authorities and also the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). After two days had elapsed Deepak was found in the custody of police in Sector 7. He was also in a bad shape on account of the third degree methods adopted against him by the police.

The Inspector-General of Police, Gurgaon Range, Mrs Deepa Mehta, said the action taken against the personnel was part of a drive to inject discipline in the force. No one found short on proper conduct and duty would be spared, she added.

Sonepat, April 1
A 20-year-old youth, Kumpo, was allegedly thrown out of the running train by three youths near Bodhwal Majri railway station, about 30 km from here, last evening.
According to the police, the youth belonged to Bhuwapur village in Gurgaon district and he boarded the train at Delhi for going to Ganaur to meet his sister.

Kumpo allegedly had a quarrel with three other youths travelling in the same compartment. They did not alow him to get down at Ganaur railway station and when the train reached near Bodhwal Majri railway station, they pushed him out of the train. The accused fled from the scene when it stopped at Bodhwal Majri railway station.

The youth, who sustained serious injuries and became unconscious, was immediately hospitalised and stated to be out of danger. The Government Railway Police is investigating into the case. However, no arrest has been made in this connection so far.

It is alleged that the accused tried to snatch some cash from the victim but they could not do so because of the resistance shown by him. Thereupon they pushed him out of the train.

Panipat, April 1
At least 25 persons, including six women were injured in pre-poll violence in Bhadar and Chichrana villages of Panipat district yesterday. The polling for panchayat elections in the two villages is scheduled to be held on April 3.

According to information, two groups of supporters of two candidates who are in the fray for the post of sarpanch of Bhadar village clashed with each other during campaigning. Lathis and sharp-edged weapons were freely used during the clash.

As many as 20 persons were injured in the clash in Bhadar village. While 13 persons belong to one group, seven belong to the other group. The injured have been admitted to the hospital.

Similarly, five persons were injured in a clash which took place between two groups of supporters of two candidates who are in the fray for the post of panch in Chichrana village.